


You Are In Love

by tabbytabbytabby



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Feelings Realization, First Kiss, Fluff, Idiots in Love, Jealous Eddie Diaz, Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining, Oblivious Evan "Buck" Buckley, Season/Series 03, Soft Eddie Diaz, Translation Available, everyone knows
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:01:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24168517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabbytabbytabby/pseuds/tabbytabbytabby
Summary: The five times someone else figures out there's something deeper going on between Buck and Eddie, including Eddie, and the time Buck finally gets there.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 69
Kudos: 875





	You Are In Love

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [You Are In Love](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25218640) by [missdistress](https://archiveofourown.org/users/missdistress/pseuds/missdistress)



> So I started this fic way back after episode 3 of this season and for some reason struggled with it. Finally, I scrapped the ending I had and changed the timeline and now here we are. It's finally done, and I'm so happy to have it out in the world. 
> 
> A big thanks to Adri, who I wouldn't have been able to get this done without. You're the best! <3
> 
> Russian translation available [here](https://ficbook.net/readfic/9447887)

**One.**

The room silent apart from the sound of running water and dishes clinking in the sink. Buck is next to him, absentmindedly drying the dishes as Eddie hands them to him. His eyes are on Christopher, his mouth pulled up in a small smile as he watches him play with his Legos. 

"You okay?" Eddie asks, bumping his shoulder against Buck's. 

"Yeah," Buck says, offering him a small smile. "I just can't get over how happy that kid always is."

"He's not _always_ happy," Eddie says, remembering a few tantrums. But those were years ago. Eddie tilts his head as he looks at his son. 

"He's a great kid, Eddie. You're doing a great job with him."

"I'm doing the best I can," Eddie says. 

"Which is great," Buck argues. 

Eddie shakes his head, "Okay, maybe. But he makes it easy."

"Yeah he's definitely an easy kid to love," Buck says, tone thoughtful. "You know that elf tonight?" Buck asks, and Eddie nods. 

"What? You have a thing for elves?"

Buck swats at him with the towel. "No. Shut up. She just said that we have an adorable son. Like she thought he was our kid."

"That wouldn't be such a bad thing," Eddie says. 

"No of course not," Buck says. "He's a great kid. Anyone would be lucky to be that kids parents."

Eddie smiles and goes back to washing the dishes. But he can’t stop looking at Buck. It’s not the first time he’s thought about how great Buck is with Christopher. 

It's not even just the way he is with Christopher. It's just… Buck. 

Eddie's known for a while that he's bisexual. So it wasn't some big thing that he would be attracted to Buck. It's when the feelings start to seep in and he realizes he's not the only one that's getting attached that he realized just how big this is. 

He can tell that Buck isn't quite there yet though, so he holds back. No matter how he feels his friendship is more important. It’s not just him he has to worry about. So he carries on, keeping a tight lock on his feelings. They have movie and game nights and sleepovers, and Eddie tries to tell himself it’s all normal. This is what people do with their best friends.

But keeping his feelings to himself doesn’t stop him from falling more and more for Buck as time goes on. It’s all kinds of little things that do it for him, like Buck making pancakes shaped like Mickey Mouse in the morning, or picking Christopher up from school on his days off when Eddie has to work, and just _being there_.

And yeah, maybe that last part isn’t so little. It’s damn important. 

He’s washing up the dishes one night after movie night while Buck helps get Christopher ready to bed. It had been at Christopher’s insistence, and Eddie would be a little offended that his own son would rather someone else put him to bed if he wasn’t so damn fond. 

He wipes his hands and walks down the hall to Christopher’s room. He’s quiet as he peeks in through the door, not wanting to disturb them in case Christopher is already asleep. He’s not yet, but he’s close.

The sight of them has Eddie’s stomach flipping in a now all too familiar way. Nothing about this night should be different. Buck has put Christopher to bed tons of times. But something about the way Buck is reading to him, with Chris curled up at his side, clearly fighting sleep has one of the biggest realizations he’s ever had hitting Eddie right in the face.

He’s in love with Buck.

It shouldn’t be surprising. He’s known for months he has feelings for him. But putting a name to it is something different altogether. 

It should scare him, he supposes, but he just feels safe. If he was going to give his heart to someone else, he's happy it's Buck. Even if Buck still hasn’t quite caught up yet.

* * *

**Two.**

The sound of laughter nearby has Christopher looking up from his drawing, and over to where his dad is standing with Buck and the rest of the adults. He's looking at Buck with a wide smile. He can't hear what they're saying, but it must be good if it has his dad looking so happy. Then again, he always looks that way around Buck. 

Christopher continues to study their faces, looking from his dad and Buck to Athena and Bobby, and then to Maddie and Chimney. They all spend a lot of time together. Dad says it’s because they’re all family and Christopher is happy with that. He loves his family. 

But even he can tell his dad doesn’t act the same away around Buck as he does around anyone else. Buck doesn’t either.

"My dad and Buck are in love," Christopher says finally. The words sound right to him. They have to be true. There’s no other explanation. 

May looks up from her phone, "What makes you say that?"

"Because they look at each other like Bobby and your mom do."

May's eyes move across the room and she tilts her head. "Huh. I guess they kind of do, don't they? Do you think they know?"

"Probably not," Harry says, not looking up from his game. "Adults are the last to figure this stuff out."

"What do you know about love?" May asks him. 

"Plenty," Harry shrugs. “I’ve had girlfriends.”

“You’re ten,” May reminds him. “You’re too young to be dating.”

“You were probably dating when you were my age,” Harry says. “I remember Trevor.”

"I think my dad knows," Christopher says suddenly.

"I know what?" Eddie asks him. He kneels down next to the table and grins. "Or am I not allowed to know what I know?"

“You already know,” Christopher tells him. “So why would I need to tell you?”

“I know a lot of things buddy,” Eddie says, ruffling his hair and causing Christopher to laugh. “You might have to clue me in on this one.”

Christopher looks from his dad to where Buck is standing nearby and then back again. “You love Buck.”

His dad’s eyes widen and he looks behind him quickly before looking back at Christopher. “What makes you say that?”

“Because you look at him like he’s made of sunshine,” Christopher says. “That’s what my friend Mallory said her parents look like when they look at each other and they’re in love.”

“I uhh…” 

“We ready to go?” Buck asks, smiling down at Eddie. Christopher nods to himself. Sunshine.

His dad clears his throat and nods, “Yeah just give me a minute.”

“Sure.” Buck leans down and hugs Christopher, the smile never leaving his face. “Don’t have too much fun without us, alright.”

“I’ll try,” Christopher tells him. 

“We’ll talk later when we get home,” his dad says, giving him a quick hug before getting to his feet. “Okay?”

“Okay dad.”

He watches as his dad walks to where Buck is waiting by the stairs and Buck throws an arm across his shoulders. He whispers something in his dad's ear and they both laugh. Then they’re gone.

“He’s not going to talk to you,” Harry says, grabbing his attention.

“Harry,” May admonishes.

“What?” Harry asks. “Adults always say they’ll talk about something, but it’s always an excuse to think of a way not to talk about it.”

“That’s not always true,” May tells them. To Christopher, she says, “I’m sure your dad will talk to you when the time is right.”

Christopher nods. He knows, and if his dad forgets he’ll just have to remind him.

Which he does when he’s getting ready for bed that night. His dad is picking out a book to read while Christopher settles under the covers. “You don’t have to read to me,” Christopher tells him. “I want to talk about Buck.”

“You haven’t forgotten then,” his dad says, sitting next to him on the bed.

“No, it’s too important,” Christopher tells him.

“You think I love Buck?”

“Don’t you?”

His dad is silent for a moment, so long that Christopher wonders if Harry had been right and his dad wasn’t going to talk to him about it. But then he starts talking. “I do love Buck. He’s very important to me. And to you, right?”

Christopher nods, “I love Buck too. But it’s different.”

“It is,” His dad smiles, “When did you get so smart?”

“In the third grade,” Christopher tells him.

“Oh I see,” his dad says. “I must not have been paying attention in the third grade.”

Christopher laughs and hugs his dad around the middle, feeling his arms come up around him. He always feels safe here. “Are you going to tell him?”

He feels his dad sigh, “Not yet, buddy. I don’t think he’s ready.”

“He will be,” Christopher promises. “He loves you too. I know it.”

Christopher falls asleep with that knowledge, that one day his dad and Buck will be together and they’ll be a family.

* * *

**Three.**

Hen watches as Eddie and Buck walk into the room. They're talking quietly to each other, both sporting wide smiles. Buck knocks his shoulder against Eddie's and Eddie laughs. It's normal behavior for them. 

But still, something feels different. Maybe it's the way their gazes linger, or the softness of their features. 

There's something. She just can't put her finger on it. 

So she watches them, trying to figure what exactly has shifted between the two of them. Nothing appears noticeably different, at least not on the surface. They're still the same lovable, oblivious boys they've always been. 

But are they?

Buck at least seems to be. Eddie though…

And that's what's different. Eddie. Buck's always worn his heart on his sleeve so it had been easy to pick up on his growing feelings for Eddie. Even if he hasn't quite clued in on them yet. 

Eddie is a whole different egg. He keeps his feelings closer to the chest, only letting them slip every now and then. But oh, they’re visible now. She doesn’t know how Buck doesn’t see it. Eddie’s not exactly being subtle with the way he checks him out in the locker room, or watches him from afar. Buck’s caught him more than a few times, but has only smiled and waved. 

Hen sighs to herself as she watches Eddie rush to pull out a chair for Buck at the table, his face turning a visible shade of pink when Buck smiles up at him in thanks. “Boy has got it bad.”

“Don’t I know it,” Athena says from beside her. She’d shown up a few minutes with lunch and the pair had been talking while everyone else grabbed their food. “They both do.”

“But only one of them knows it,” Hen sighs. “Poor Eddie.”

“How long do you think before Buck gets there?” Athena asks, taking a drink of her water.

“At this rate? Another month?”

Athena laughs at that, “Poor Eddie indeed.”

Neither of the pair seem to be aware they’re being watched, or discussed. Both of them are too wrapped up in each other. They’re looking down at Eddie’s phone as he shows Buck pictures of Christopher’s school trip. Though Eddie’s gaze seems to be more on Buck’s face than the pictures.

Hen shakes her head and goes back to her meal.

"Guess who finally figured it out," Hen says later that night as she's getting ready for bed. 

Karen looks up from her phone. "What?"

"What pair of oblivious men do we know that are obviously hopelessly in love with each other?" Hen asks. She pulls the covers back and crawls into bed. 

"Ooh," Karen's face lights up and she puts her phone aside, giving Hen her full attention. "They've gotten there?"

"Not exactly, but Eddie has."

Karen looks surprised at that, "Eddie figured it out first?"

"I know. I always thought it would be Buck. He's more in touch with his feelings."

"What exactly did Eddie say?" Karen asks her.

Hen smiles and starts telling her everything she's observed over the past few weeks. She makes a promise to stay out of it, even if she does wish she could just push them together. This is something they need to figure out themselves.

* * *

**Four.**

The music thumps loudly around them, seeming to vibrate off the walls. Normally, Maddie wouldn’t be in a club like this, but she’d wanted to cheer Josh up and knows how much he’s been wanting to try this new place, and Hen had seemed more than enthusiastic. So she’d planned the night, inviting everyone she knew to a night out. 

Bobby and Athena had politely declined, saying it wasn’t really their scene, and Maddie can’t blame them. But everyone else is here. Buck and Josh were especially enjoying themselves. The pair had barely left the dance floor the whole time they’ve been here. Albert too. Though he was off by himself somewhere.

“At least those two are having fun,” Hen shouts over the music. She nods her head to where Buck and Josh are dancing nearby. They’re pressed close as they sway to the music. 

“Too much fun,” Eddie mutters. If he wasn’t sitting right next to her, she would have missed it.

She raises an eyebrow at him, “You know you could be out there dancing.”

“I don’t dance.”

Hen snorts, “Oh please. We’ve heard you’re an excellent dancer.”

Eddie shrugs, glaring straight ahead. “I don’t have anyone to dance.”

“Sure you do,” Hen says. “You just have to ask him.”

“He’s too wrapped up with _Josh_.”

Maddie’s other eyebrow raises at the hint of anger in his voice, along with something else. That paired with the daggers he’s glaring at the dancing pair has realization washing over her. “Oh my god.”

“What?” Eddie asks, glancing at her before looking back at Buck and Josh.

“I don’t know how I didn’t see this sooner,” she says.

“See what?” Chimney asks from her other side.

“Look,” she whispers, pointing from Eddie’s stiff posture and murderous glare to where Buck and Josh are dancing. “Tell me you see it.”

“See…?” Chimney trails off, realization crossing his face. “Oh yeah.”

“Are you telling you’re both just now getting this?” Hen asks them. “I got there weeks ago.”

“I don’t spend as much time with Eddie as you do,” Maddie says. “At least not like this. Buck on the other hand…”

“He was obvious from the start,” Chimney laughs. “But oh man, Eddie. Dude.”

“What?” Eddie finally snaps. “What are you all talking about that’s more important than…” he waves his hand in Buck and Josh’s direction, his eyes narrowing at how much closer they’re dancing. “That.”

“You’re jealous,” Maddie laughs.

“I am not,” Eddie mutters.

“Oh honey you are,” Hen says, patting his hand.

“No friend glares at their best friend dancing with someone else the way you are Buck,” Maddie tells him. 

“You know he’d dance with you if you just asked,” Hen adds.

“No he wouldn’t,” Eddie says.

“He would,” Maddie says. She shoves his shoulder lightly and nods his head towards the dance floor. “Go ask.”

“Sweep him off his feet with those moves we’ve heard about,” Chimney adds.

Eddie looks unsure, but he gets to his feet all the same. He downs the rest of his beer and squares his shoulders. “Okay.”

“You got this,” Hen calls after him.

They watch as he approaches Buck and Josh. If they’re surprised to see him, they don’t show it. Josh grins and claps him on the shoulder, leaving Eddie to take his place. And yeah, he can definitely dance. Buck himself has never been the most graceful dancer, but they seem to move seamlessly together.

“I was wondering when he was going to break,” Josh sighs, falling into the seat Eddie just vacated. He takes the water Maddie hands him with a grateful smile.

“You knew?” Maddie asks.

“Of course,” Josh says. “I could feel the intensity of his glare the whole night. I don’t think Buck quite caught on though.”

“Of course he didn’t,” Maddie sighs. 

She wishes she could believe dancing with Eddie would get him there, but something tells her he’s going to need a little more time. It’s going to take something bigger for him to realize just how gone he is on Eddie. She just hopes for Eddie’s sake it’s not too much longer.

* * *

**Five.**

Bobby’s been aware of the connection between Buck and Eddie for a while. It would be hard not to see it. They’re best friends. As close as two people can be. And he’s not blind. There’s clearly something there.

It doesn’t hit him just how serious it all is until he’s watching Buck fall apart at the thought of losing Eddie, and seeing the way he screams Eddie’s name and claws at the earth as if he can dig his way down to him with his bare hands. It pains him to have to pull him away. His heart aches at the way Buck struggles and then collapses against him in a fit of sobs. 

He knows this pain. He’s felt it. God he wouldn’t wish it on anyone, especially not Buck who has become like a son to him. He wishes he could comfort him. But they have a job to do. He has to focus if they want to have any hope of finding Eddie. 

Alive, he tells himself. They’re going to find him alive. They have to. For Buck’s sake as much as Eddie’s. They’re not going to be losing one of their own tonight.

"I can't lose him," Buck whispers when they're alone at the house. "Bobby, I can't."

Bobby rests a hand on his shoulder. "We're going to get him back, Buck."

"Promise?" 

His voice sounds so small, and Bobby hates it. As much as he hates what he has to say next. "You know I can't do that."

Buck averts his gaze, his body seeming to fold in on itself. "Right. Yeah. Of course."

"You know as well as I do we can't make promises like that with this job," Bobby tells him. "But I can promise you we're going to do everything in our power to get him back. Alright?"

Buck nods, "Okay."

Buck remains silent as everyone gathers. His gaze is far away and face more dejected than Bobby's ever seen it. He looks broken and lost as Bobby gives orders on the search for Eddie. 

Then a voice sounds behind them and Buck's face immediately shifts. He's the first one to Eddie, catching him before he has a chance to fall. His smile is as bright as the lights shining down on them, and it's directed at Eddie. 

They cling to each other for a moment, whispering reassurances. When their eyes meet, Bobby knows he doesn't have this wrong. There's only one word to describe what he sees radiating off them. 

Love.

* * *

**\+ One**

Having Abby back throws him, but not quite in the way Buck was expecting. At first he feels the hurt, hot and raw in his chest. She’s back. She has a fiancé. She’d just left him and couldn’t even be bothered to tell him she’d moved on. That he was free. He supposes somewhere deep down he’s known that. But it still hurts all the same.

He doesn’t have time to focus on it, not at first, and maybe that helps. He has a job to do. Lives to save. That he knows how to do. He can handle it.

What does confuse him is Eddie. He sticks by Buck’s side like glue, and at first Buck thinks it’s because he doesn’t think Buck can focus and do his job. That he thinks he’s emotionally compromised. But that feels wrong. He knows Eddie trusts him. If he thought Buck was doing something stupid he would tell him.

And he _does_. In the moment, it just makes Buck angry. Eddie, his best friend, is throwing him under the bus with Bobby and trying to stop him from doing something that could ensure both people live. 

He does it regardless, in the end, and Eddie is right there with him, like he always is. He can see the noticeable worry on his face. Something that’s been growing more and more as the night has gone on. But he ignores it. Even when Eddie asks him if he’s okay. Now isn’t the time to get into it. Not when they still have a job to do.

It's a long, grueling few hours as they work to save as many lives as they can. It’s not easy. Mass casualty events like this never are. For every life they save, there’s another they can’t. But they keep pushing on. It’s nearing 3 a.m. when Bobby pulls them aside and tells them it’s time to go. Their replacements are here, and they can go back to the station and then home to rest. Buck’s not sure how much rest any of them are going to get after what they’ve seen tonight, but none of them argue. They’re all too exhausted to.

Buck takes longer than usual to change and grab his things. He’s not exactly looking forward to going back to his empty apartment alone.

“You know she didn’t deserve you,” Eddie says suddenly. Buck had been so wrapped up in his thoughts, he hadn’t realized he was still there.

Buck stops and turns to face him, “What?”

“She just left you, Buck. She didn’t even bother to call or anything. That’s not okay.”

“I know that,” Buck sighs and runs a hand down his face. “I know, okay?”

“You deserve better,” Eddie says, softer this time. “You deserve someone that loves you completely, and can see how amazing and wonderful you are.”

Buck laughs tiredly, “Yeah? Okay man. You find someone like that, you send them my way.”

A look passes across Eddie’s face. One he can’t quite decipher. It’s gone as quickly as it comes. “You might have already found them, Buck. You just have to open your eyes.”

“What? What are you…?”

“I need to get home to Christopher,” Eddie cuts in. “And you need some sleep. I’ll see you later.”

Buck watches him go with a frown. What on earth was all that supposed to mean? He shakes his head and closes his locker. He’s too tired to think about this right now.

Except when he gets home and crawls into bed after a hot shower, sleep doesn’t come. He’s left staring at the ceiling, wide awake, Eddie’s words keep playing through his mind.

_“You might have already found them, Buck. You just have to open your eyes.”_

What does that even mean? He’s found someone that loves him completely already? Who could he even be talking about? Everyone he knows is married or dating someone or…

He sucks in a breath. Except that’s not true. It’s so far from true. There’s one person, one _very important_ person that’s very much single.

And god the more he thinks about it, the more he realizes he’s been missing some very big signs.

The touching and soft smiles and late night conversations. The flirting. God the flirting. The way his stomach had flipped and he’d felt this undeniable pull towards him when Eddie had told him he trusted him. And that ache in his chest when he thought he’d lost Eddie. It was like his whole world had been taken away from him, and now that he thinks about it, it had. And tonight? Eddie’s obvious anger at Abby. God it’s all been there in front of him, and Buck is the world's biggest dumbass.

Eddie loves him. And Buck? Buck loves him too. He’s in love with Eddie.

He throws his covers off and rushes down the stairs. He barely stops to put on his shoes and make sure he has his keys and wallet before running out the door. He takes the stairs two at a time, not wanting to wait for the elevator, and runs to his jeep.

He drives faster than he probably should, but luckily he doesn’t see any cops on the shorts drive to Eddie’s house. The light in the living room is still on when Buck pulls up. Which is a relief. He hadn’t thought past getting here, and the last thing he wants is to wake Christopher up thanks to his impulsive decision. But now that he knows the truth, he can’t keep it to himself.

He gets out of the jeep and locks it, before quietly closing the door and starting up the path to the house. He knocks as softly as he can, hoping Eddie will hear him. He has a key, but he doesn’t want to use it tonight. Not if he doesn’t have to.

Luck seems to be on his side, however, because not even a minute later the door opens to reveal Eddie.

“Buck?” Eddie questions, face pinching in confusion. “What are you doing here? Is everything…?”

“I love you,” Buck cuts in. “I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to get here. I’m a dumbass. But god, Eddie. It’s true. I love you.”

Eddie smiles and pulls him into the house. He kicks the door closed behind them and tugs Buck into him. They stand there a moment, pressed together from head to knee and just breathe. Finally, after what’s probably only a few seconds, but to Buck it feels like an eternity, Eddie speaks. “I was wondering when you would catch up.”

“Yeah well, you kind of hit me on the head with it tonight,” Buck tells him. “And then I got home and couldn’t stop thinking about what you said and it just all hit me. I’m in love with you. I think I have been for a while. I’ve just been too blind to see it.”

“Lucky for you, I’m a patient man,” Eddie tells him.

Buck laughs at that, “No you’re not.”

“I am about this,” Eddie says, grinning up at him. “Now are you going to argue with me, or are you going to let me say something very important?”

“I’m listening.”

“Good.” Eddie’s hand moves up to his cheek, his fingers brush softly across his skin. “I love you. Fully and completely.”

Buck smiles and brushes their noses together, loving the way Eddie grins and pulls him in even closer. Their lips meet, as if pulled together by the same invisible force, and everything clicks into place. It took him a while to reach this moment, but now that he’s here he knows he’s never letting go. He’s exactly where he needs to be, no, where he belongs.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Kudos/comments make my day 💜  
> [My tumblr](http://tabbytabbytabby.tumblr.com/)


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